Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game device of the type having a gameboard, playing pieces, and a chance device to determine the advance of the playing pieces along certain spaces on the gameboard. Each playing piece is made out of ice. The spaces provide instructional information and represent hazards that may destroy the playing piece. Associated with the gameboard are actual physical hazards which involve application to the game piece of warm water, hot air or salt according to the hazard provided for by the space. Alternatively, the playing piece may be a sugar cube or a balloon.

United States Patent [191 Breslow 1 1 BOARD GAME APPARATUS [75] Inventor: Jeffrey D. Breslow, Chicago, 111.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates, Chicago,

[22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 214,060

[52] US. Cl 273/134 B, 273/134 D, 273/134 G [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 [58] Field of Search 273/134, 137, 105.4

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,207,516 9/1965 Kaluzny et a1. 273/1054 3,211,458 10/1965 Wells et a1 273/134 AE 3,406,974 10/1968 Nelson 273/134 AE 3,594,002 7/1971 Glass et a1 273/134 B [451 Aug. 28, 1973 3,649,021 3/1972 Hayes 273/134 G Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney.lames F. Coffee et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A game device of the type having a gameboard, playing pieces, and a chance device to determine the advance of the playing pieces along certain spaces on the gameboard. Each playing piece is made out of ice. The spaces provide instructional information and represent hazards that may destroy the playing piece. Associated with the gameboard are actual physical hazards which involve application to the game piece of warm water, hot air or salt according to the hazard provided for by the space. Alternatively, the playing piece may be a sugar cube or a balloon.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 28, 1973 INVENTOR r/EFFQE'VQ 59552 014/ BY wizuiq ATTORNEYS BOARD GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to game devices, more particularly to game devices which involve the concept of the advance of a playing piece along a playing board responsive to the dictates of a chance device.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art There are many games which involve the concept of the advance of playing pieces along a playing board responsive to the dictates of a chance device. Moreover, many of these games also include simulated good fortune and bad fortune towards the goal of the game. Game devices ot this type usually are easily understood and have become popular and well received. However, few, if any, of these games, provide any means to physically inflict hazards upon a player through his playing piece.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of this invention is to provide a new and improved advance type game involving the survival of a game piece. More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide means so that players are able to physically observe destruction or survival of their playing pieces. 7

The game device of this invention generally includes a gameboard, a plurality of playing pieces and chance means. The gameboard has a playing surface with a plurality of playing spaces thereon. Some of the spaces are representative of a predetermined hazard. The playing pieces are unique in that they are destructible by commonly available substances. A chance device is employed for determining the advance of the playing pieces from one space to another. Associated with the gameboard are means for physically inflicting the hazard on the playing pieces called for by a given space.

In the best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the invention, the playing piece is a piece of ice while the hazards are those capable of melting ice. Among the hazards which can be employed are warm water, warm air and salt. A timer is used to determine the length of time in which a hazard is inflicted upon aplaying piece. The gameboard also includes means to drain water that has been melted from the playing piece because of the infliction of various hazards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of the game of this invention; 1

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the game of this invention taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a timer that is used in association with the game of this invention; and

FIG. 4'is an enlarged perspective view of a tray used to transport a playing piece of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The game of the invention, generally designated 10, is shown in FIG. 1 and is seen to generally comprise a gameboard 12, a playing piece 14 and an ordinary die 16. The playing piece 14 is a piece ofice of any suitable configuration which is carried in a colored tray 18 (See FIG. 4). The playing piece 14 will be subjected to various hazards destructive of ice according to the rules of the game. The player whose playing piece melts last wins the game.

The gameboard 12 is irregularly shaped, although it can be of any shape that is desirable, and made out of molded plastic or other suitable material. The gameboard I2 has a flat playing surface 20 in the'center area thereof. Formed around the playing surface 20 and comprising the outer periphery of the gameboard 12 is a rim portion 22 having a flat surface 24. Completely surrounding the playing surface 20 is a depression in the gameboard 12 defining a canal 26 which is situated between the rim portion 22 and the playing surface 20 and is used for draining water. 1

The playing surface 20 has a plurality of playing spaces printed around the periphery thereof. Some of the playing spaces are neutral, and have a star or any other symbol printed thereon as indicated by 28. Others of the playing spaces have a hazard indicatedthereon as shown in the drawings as 29. If a playing piece is on a hazard space 29 then the hazard indicated on that space is physically inflicted upon the playing piece 14 in a manner to be set forth in greater detail hereinafter.

The hazards indicated by the hazard spaces 29 all are capable of destroying the ice playing piece 14 and comprise: hot breath; a salt mine; a turkish bath; a warm shower; and a steam stream. The last four hazards named above are stored in the rim portion 22 of the game board 12 in four depressions molded therein which define four stations generally designated A, B, C, and D. Appropriate miniature banners 30 are mounted in close proximity with each of the hazard stations for identifying the particular hazard stored therein.

Station A houses the steam stream hazard, generally designated 31, which comprises warm water contained in a plastic squeeze bottle 32. The steam stream 31 is the playing by taking the squeeze bottle 32 out of Station A and squeezing water on the playing piece 14. playing Station B houses the warm shower hazard, generally designated 34, which comprises a small bucket 36 containing warm water pivotally mounted on a support 38 over theplaying surface. The warm shower hazard 34 is used by tipping the bucket of water 36 onto an underlying players piece 14.

Station C houses the salt mine hazard, generally designated 40, which comprises a salt shaker containing salt. The salt mine hazard 40 is used by shaking salt from the container 42 onto the playing piece 14.

Station D houses the turkish bath hazard, generally designated 44, which comprises warm water filling the depression defined by station D. The turkish bath hazard 44 is used by dunking the playing piece 14 into the warm water.

The hot breath hazard is inflicted by merely breathing on the playing piece I4.

A timer, generally designated 46, as shown in FIG. 3,

is used to gauge. the length of time in which a particular hazard is inflicted upon a playing piece 14. The timer 46 used in this embodiment includes an. internally threaded propeller 48 mounted on an externally threaded vertical shaft 50 which is'secured ateither end between two horizontal discs 52 and 54. The propeller 48 is at the top of the shaft 50 at the beginning of the time period, and is at the bottom of the shaft at the end of the time period. The propeller 48 is made to travel downwardly from the starting position by having a player spin it in a clockwise direction looking down on FIG. 3.

The game as described herein may be played by two players although more might be able to participate. Each player has his own playing piece 14 and distinctly colored tray 18.

Each player takes turns rolling the die 16. The number indicated by the die 16 represents the number of spaces which that particular players playing piece 14 is advanced on the playing surface 20. If a playing piece 14 is on a neutral space 28 no hazard is visited upon that playing piece. If, however, a playing piece is on a hazard space 29, the particular hazard indicated is physically inflicted upon the playing piece by the opposing player for a length of time indicated by the timer 46 in the manner described above. The player whose playing piece 14 survives, i.e., the player whose piece of ice last melts, is the winner of the game.

The playing piece 14 may be made of other materials besides ice. As long as the material used is physically alterable by commonly available substances it would be suitable for use in the game of this invention. For example, the playing piece 14 could be made of a sugar cube which can be dissolved by warm water or other substances. Another example may be the use of a deformable or puncturable object such as a balloon whereby suitable hazards would be available that would cause bursting of the balloon.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A game device comprising:

a gameboard having a playing surface with a plurality of playing spaces designated thereon, some of said spaces bearing indicia designating different hazards;

a plurality of playing pieces for advancement from one space to another; said pieces being physically alterable in successive stages;

chance means for determining the extent of advancement of said playing pieces from space to space; and

hazard stations on the gameboard corresponding in position to the spaces bearing designations of the different hazards, each of said hazard stations having hazard elements capable of partially physically altering said playing pieces, whereby the playing pieces may be subjected to said hazard elements responsive to the dictates of said chance means.

2. The game device of claim 1 wherein said playing pieces are dissolvable and the hazard elements include means for partially dissolving the playing pieces.

3. The game device of claim 2 wherein said playing pieces are made of ice and the hazard elements include means for partially melting a piece of ice.

4. The game device of claim 1 including timing means to determine the length of time a hazard is inflicted on a playing piece.

5. The game device of claim 3 wherein the hazard elements include means for applying warm water and salt.

6. The game device of claim 3 wherein said gameboard includes means to drain water therefrom.

7. The game device of claim 3 wherein each playing piece is supported on tray means on the playing surface.

8. A game device comprising:

a gameboard having a playing surface with a plurality of playing spaces designated thereon, some of said spaces bearing indicia designating different hazards capable of melting ice including warm water and salt;

a plurality of playing pieces made out of ice for advancement from one space to another;

chance means for determining the extent of advancement of said playing pieces from space to space;

hazard stations on the gameboard corresponding in position to the spaces bearing designations of the different hazards, each of said hazard stations having hazard elements capable of melting ice including means for applying warm water and salt; and

timing means to determine the length of time a hazard is inflicted on a playing piece, the time elapsed by the timing means being limited to a period only long enough to effect a partial melting of the playing piece, whereby the playing pieces may be subjected to said hazard elements responsive .to the dictates of the chance means and for a length of time determined by the timing means.

9. A game device comprising:

a gameboard having a playing surface with a plurality of playing spaces designated thereon, some of said spaces bearing indicia designating different hazards capable of melting ice including warm water;

a plurality of playing pieces made out of ice for advancement from one space to another;

chance means for determining the extent of advancement of said playing pieces from space to space;

and

hazard stations on the gameboard corresponding in position to the spaces bearing designations of the different hazards, each of said hazard stations having hazard elements capable of melting ice, said hazard stations including a station capable of containing water, whereby the playing pieces are subjected to said hazard elements represented by said hazard spaces responsive to the dictates of said chance means. 

1. A game device comprising: a gameboard having a playing surface with a plurality of playing spaces designated thereon, some of said spaces bearing indicia designating different hazards; a plurality of playing pieces for advancement from one space to another; said pieces being physically alterable in successive stages; chance means for determining the extent of advancement of said playing pieces from space to space; and hazard stations on the gameboard corresponding in position to the spaces bearing designations of the different hazards, each of said hazard stations having hazard elements capable of partially physically altering said playing pieces, whereby the playing pieces may be subjected to said hazard elements responsive to the dictates of said chance means.
 2. The game device of claim 1 wherein said playing pieces are dissolvable and the hazard elements include means for partially dissolving the playing pieces.
 3. The game device of claim 2 wherein said playing pieces are made of ice and the hazard elements include means for partially melting a piece of ice.
 4. The game device of claim 1 including timing means to determine the length of time a hazard is inflicted on a playing piece.
 5. The game device of claim 3 wherein the hazard elements include means for applying warm water and salt.
 6. The game device of claim 3 wherein said gameboard includes means to drain water therefrom.
 7. The game device of claim 3 wherein each playing piece is supported on tray means on the playing surface.
 8. A game device comprising: a gameboard having a playing surface with a plurality of playing spaces designated thereon, some of said spaces bearing indicia designating different hazards capable of melting ice including warm water and salt; a plurality of playing pieces made out of ice for advancement from one space to another; chance means for determining the extent of advancement of said playing pieces from space to space; hazard stations on the gameboard corresponding in position to the spaces bearing designations of the different hazards, each of said hazard stations having hazard elements capable of melting ice including means for applying warm water and salt; and timing means to determine the length of time a hazard is inflicted on a playing piece, the time elapsed by the timing means being limited to a period only long enough to effect a partial melting of the playing piece, whereby the playing pieces may be subjected to said hazard elements responsive to the dictates of the chance means and for a length of time determined by the timing means.
 9. A game device comprising: a gameboard having a playing surface with a plurality of playing spaces designated thereon, some of saiD spaces bearing indicia designating different hazards capable of melting ice including warm water; a plurality of playing pieces made out of ice for advancement from one space to another; chance means for determining the extent of advancement of said playing pieces from space to space; and hazard stations on the gameboard corresponding in position to the spaces bearing designations of the different hazards, each of said hazard stations having hazard elements capable of melting ice, said hazard stations including a station capable of containing water, whereby the playing pieces are subjected to said hazard elements represented by said hazard spaces responsive to the dictates of said chance means. 